Work still to be done but we are getting better and ready for the challenge
IMPROVING FALCONS WORKING ON COMBINATIONS, SAYS TAIT
ALEX Tait believes Newcastle Falcons are getting better with every game as they prepare for Saturday’s Championship Cup trip to Hartpury University RFC.
The double centurion was a second-half replacement in Sunday’s 57-0 home win over Doncaster, the Falcons having opened their campaign a week earlier with a 21-8 triumph at Jersey.
“Our first game over in Jersey proved to be quite a difficult one for us,” said Tait, the academy product who is in his testimonial season with the club.
“We hadn’t played a game in more than four months, everyone was chomping at the bit and I think we probably just got a bit over-excited in some of the things we were trying to do.
“We ironed out most of those problems against Doncaster to some degree, although we still feel like there’s plenty to work on.
“We’ve obviously been working on shapes and combinations in training but it’s only in that proper match scenario where you really hone it down, not to mention your game fitness. That’s starting to come, and the idea is to have the team properly purring by the time we get into the league games.
“There were glimpses of it coming together against Doncaster in terms of keeping the ball moving and getting it into the hands of our dangerous attacking players, and we scored tries when we managed to do that.”
Certainly not writing off the challenge of Hartpury despite the Gloucestershire based side losing both of their games so far in the competition, Tait said: “They compete pretty hard at the breakdown, they have guys who will spot out of the line and try to make the big hit and we’ve done our analysis on them.
“I’ve played against Akapusi Qera a few times and people know what he is all about from his time at Gloucester, and I’m sure they’ll be right up for it.
“We have to meet that physical challenge, look after ourselves and allow our attacking play to cause them problems. Complacency is always a possibility when an unbeaten team comes up against a side which hasn’t won either of its games, so we’ve certainly been looking at that aspect and stressing the need to keep our focus.
“A lot of professional sport at the top level is played in the head, and we’ve just got to make sure we’re mentally switched on every single time we take the field. “We’ll get stung if we start to let our preparation or our standards drop, and our aim is to win every game we play to secure our Premiership status back.
“That means having a Premiership standard throughout the season, not
We have to meet the physical challenge, look after ourselves and allow our attacking play to cause problems Alex Tait
PICTURE: CHRIS LISHMAN just in physicality but also in terms of having a ruthless mindset.
“It will be difficult at times because there are good teams in this league, and some tough places to go to.
“For the boys who are used to playing in the Premiership, it will be a different kind of challenge, and we’ve got to be professional in how we deal with it.”
Setting a high bar for the campaign, he added: “There’s no bones about it, we want to go straight back up and win every game along the way, so we’ve got to come out firing and assert our dominance across this league right from the start.
“That’s not meant in any arrogant kind of way, and the only way we’ll be able to make it happen is if we take care of our processes every day in training and turn up to every match with a really clinical approach.
“We’ll be physical and look to move the ball quickly, we’ve got loads of pace in the side and we can’t allow teams to recover.
“Sides will try to drag us into an arm wrestle all season and we’ll need to be wise to that.” NORTH Shields produced a fine performance as they eased to three points in their Mitre Sports Brooks Mileson League Cup Group A game at Billingham Synthonia.
The Robins were in prolific form as a hat-trick from attacking midfielder Ryan Carr and a goal apiece from Paul Robinson, Cam Cunningham and debutant Chris Salmon helped their side to a 6-0 win at Norton Sports Complex.
Heaton Stannington went one better than Marc Nash’s side as they thumped Division Two rivals Newcastle University in the other Group A clash. Regan Paterson and Joe Kerridge both scored twice and Ryan Bailey, Danny Sayer, Richie Hoggins were also on target as the Stan romped to a 7-0 home win.
A Mark Davison hat-trick and goals from Michael Charlton and Ryan Leonard put Sunderland RCA on their way to a 5-2 win at Crook Town in the only Group B fixture.
Ryton and Crawcrook Albion pulled off the shock of the night in Group C as Liam Barker and Daniel Blewitt found the net in their 2-0 win against in-form Division One side Stockton Town.
In the group’s other tie, West Allotment Celtic continued their fine form as Shane Jones and Matty Hayton got the goals in their 2-0 home win against Esh Winning.
An Andrei Ardelean brace and a first Consett goal for new signing Jake Orrell put the Steelmen on their way to a 3-1 win at Bedlington Terriers in Group D.
There were four different scorers as James Rowe, Stephen Cheeseman, Richie Walker and Ryan McKendry were all on target in Northallerton Town’s 4-0 home win against Easington Colliery in Group E.
A second-half penalty from David Dowson and a late goal from Amar Purewal helped West Auckland to all three points at Redcar Athletic in the other Group E fixture.
In Group F, a Nathan Steel penalty and a Chay Liddle goal gave Shildon a 2-0 win against Willington at Hall Lane.
There was late drama in Group G as Jarrow and Bishop Auckland shared the spoils with a 2-2 draw at Perth Green.
A late Kris Allen penalty looked to have given the hosts a point after he cancelled out an opening goal from Bishops striker Chris Winn.
However, the visitors seemed to have claimed all three points when Michael Hoganson converted a spot-kick a minute from time.
But there was another twist as Jarrow’s Adam Hutchinson grabbed an equaliser in the second minute of injury-time.
The group’s other game between Sunderland West End and Penrith also ended in a 2-2 draw.
MARK CARRUTHERS